LEE Beck produced career-best figures of seven for 71 – six of them caught behind by Tom Arnold – as New Milton celebrated their first Southern Premier League victory of the season, winning by three wickets against Hampshire Academy.

The 35-year old, who is in his 20th season with the Green & Golds, bowled a marathon 22-over stint and later admitted he was “stiff but hugely satisfied”.

His figures took the gloss off a courageous second consecutive century by 17-year old Jake Goodwin, who glued the Academy’s modest 173.

Nick Park (54) and Nicky Elliott, with an unbeaten 41, engineered a predictably nervous New Milton victory.

Last season’s Division One champions had lost all five of their top-flight matches prior to their Ageas Bowl visit.

Stand-in skipper Ryan Beck, Lee’s younger brother, said: “We could have won some of our earlier games but to get over the line and clinch our first win was massive. It’s really good for the lads.

“Lee has taken 275-or so Premier League wickets but doesn’t bowl for this team very often so to do what he did was superb.

“He relies on leg-cutters and swing and I don’t think Tom Arnold barely moved to take any of the six nicks which got Lee all bar one of his wickets.”

Park and Arnold (21) cashed in with a 69-run start before New Milton started to wobble at 92 for four.

On cue, Elliott produced the cool head the Green & Golds needed and, with Joe Hall (13), added an important 48.

Milton went on to lose seven wickets and Elliott’s patience – his unbeaten 44 coming off 88 deliveries – aided by skipper Beck at the end steered them to a landmark victory.

“Not for the first time, Nick’s old head on young shoulders got us in. Now we must build on this win and pull ourselves out of trouble,” added Ryan Beck.

  • Kevin Nash was applauded off the field by his Bashley team-mates at Newclose after his Southern Premier League best return of six for 27 had set up an eight-wicket victory over basement boys Ventnor.

He underlined the essence of bowling a straight and tidy line in helpful conditions by clean bowling four Ventnor batsmen, having one caught behind and another trapped leg before wicket.

Ventnor, 18 points adrift at the foot of the table after a sixth straight defeat, were dismissed for 71 shortly after lunch and Bashley were on the boat home by tea-time, celebrating a third successive win.

Teenager Sean Read began the rot by bowling Rob Snell and then running out Ben Woodhouse.

Only Hugh Calloway (22) hung around, although young John Buckman displayed the technique to keep Nash at bay.

Bashley soon lost opener Neil Thurgood, but had things wrapped up in the 11th over, with Tom Gates (20) and Michael Porter (18) undefeated.